NJ Volunteer Fire Company Disbanded after Nearly 100 Years

A volunteer fire company that had served an Atlantic County community for 99 years was disbanded this week by its borough council.

The Buena borough council voted unanimously Monday to disband Buena Fire District 1 for a series of violations, including improper certification of training for some of its members, and state health and safety violations of its equipment and property.

“… (I)t has come to the attention of the Mayor and Council that there are serious health and safety issues within the Borough of Buena Fire District #1,” the ordinance to disband the company said. “The governing body recognizes a compelling public safety and health interest and a financial savings to the residents of the Borough of Buena in dissolving Fire District #1 and expanding the Fire District #2.”

The ordinance also listed two pages of single-spaced complaints and violations against the fire company, including failure to provide certification of fire training for some of its members and numerous state health and safety violations of its equipment and property. The council first suspended operation of the fire company in December and extended the suspension until a final deadline of full compliance was set for July 7. The council voted to disband the company in a special meeting Monday.

Two cell phone calls to a Fire District 1 official Thursday resulted in a busy signal. A phone call and email to the station were not immediately answered, as well.

Brian Rowan was a member of the Buena Fire District 1 for 10 years. He said he resigned in December because he was concerned about his safety and for what he thought was mismanagement.

“This could be going on in your backyard,” Rowan told NJ Advance Media on Thursday. “When you have an organization that is more worried about social functions; worried about spending its money on breakfasts and barbecues, when you’re failing to fund the bare minimums; when they’re failing to pay for training; that’s when [you] should start to care.”

Before he resigned, Rowan registered his complaints in October with Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health at the state Department of Health. Inspectors followed up with visits to the firehouse in November and the borough started investigating compliance in December.

The ordinance passed Monday immediately dissolved Buena Fire District 1, also known as Landisville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company. It also expanded Fire District 2, Minotola, the borough’s other volunteer fire company, which had demonstrated full compliance with certification and safety protocols, borough officials said. Minotola was also awarded all of Landisville’s equipment, including four working fire trucks and an antique fire vehicle, and the property, station house and any remaining bank funds, according to the ordinance.

The borough suspended Landisville operations for 90 days in December after state agencies identified 28 violations against the company, NJ Advance Media reported last month. Council extended the suspension in March after finding that six violations remained unresolved.

The borough had applied to the state to dissolve Fire District 1 and enlarge District 2 to provide fire protection services for the entire borough of 4,300 residents.

_____

Visit nj.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.